Edge of Faith March 2017 - Page 21

more. Every office should be adequately trained. Slavery continues in a variety of forms and where laws are not enforced, trafficking runs rampant.

Talk to your faith leaders and see how your local faith community can engage with other anti-trafficking efforts. Some of the most effective anti-trafficking work in the world was started and is supported by faith communities.

Buy Fair Trade products. Slavery has been documented in nearly all of our commodities and production of goods from cotton, to chocolate, coffee, gold, and minerals found in our make-up, electronics, iron, rice, and sugar. Slavery has tainted our supply chain of goods. Choosing to purchase Fair Traded goods helps communicate to all companies that products produced without slavery are what we will buy. Flex your purchasing power. Learn more at: www.madeinafreeworld.com.

Slow down, make eye contact, and be kind to others. Part of putting an end to human trafficking is simply the idea of treating others as you would like to be treated and to be aware. If you see something, say something.

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Each of us, right where we are, right in the ordinary life circumstances that we live, have power at our disposal to help end modern day slavery. We, like the Grimke sisters, have the power to educate ourselves, to act, to move, to advocate, to become wise consumers and do what we can to end all forms of slavery once and for all. Each of us are needed in the new abolitionist movement.

Join me. Refuse to do nothing.

To learn more, pick up a copy of Kimberly’s book, "Refuse To Do Nothing" at Amazon.

Kimberly McOwen Yim is an activist/speaker/abolitionist mama of two and the author of "Refuse To Do Nothing: Finding Your Power To Abolish Modern-Day Slavery". She is the founder of the San Clemente Abolitionists and consults on how to engage the ordinary person in global human rights issues. She is an advisor at the Global Center for Women and Justice and the I-5 Freedom Network and is a member of Foreign Affairs Chair, Congressman Ed Royce’s Human Trafficking Congressional Advisory Committee. She blogs at abolitionistmama.blogspot.com and can be found at: